On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
In 1997, the world population was approximately 5,924,787,816 people[†]
1997Nguyen Manh Tuong, Vietnamese lawyer and academic (born 1909)[†]
Nguyễn Mạnh Tường (1909–1997) was a Vietnamese lawyer and intellectual. He was known to be one of the active participators in the Nhân Văn affair in the mid-1950s which saw many intellectuals demanding freedom and democracy in communist-led North Vietnam. After he criticised the disastrous land reform campaign in 1956, he was stripped of all positions he held in the government and was forced to retire from practicing law.
1997A jury sentences Timothy McVeigh to death for his part in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.[†]
Timothy James McVeigh was an American domestic terrorist who masterminded and perpetrated the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The bombing itself killed 167 people, injured 684 people, and destroyed one-third of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. A rescue worker was killed after the bombing when debris struck her head, bringing the total to 168 killed. It remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
1997The Uphaar Cinema Fire took place at Green Park, Delhi, resulting in the deaths of 59 people and seriously injured 103 others.[†]
The Uphaar Cinema fire was one of the worst fire tragedies in recent Indian history. The fire started on Friday, 13 June 1997 at Uphaar Cinema in Green Park, Delhi during the three o'clock screening of the movie Border. Fifty-nine people were trapped inside and died of asphyxiation (suffocation), while 103 were seriously injured in the resulting stampede.
American investors, 6 1/2 years into record-breaking bull market, are committing more than half of their mutual fund assets to stocks, double level at beginning of decade; foreign investors have also significantly stepped up their investments in American stocks this year, to highest level since 1990; together these trends have produced rich fuel that this year has powered stock market beyond expectations of virtually everyone on Wall Street; Investment Company Institute estimates that $18.5 billion flowed into equity funds in May, seventh-highest monthly total ever; graph (M)
Walt Disney Co will celebrate premiere of its movie Hercules at refurbished New Amsterdam Theater with parade in midtown Manhattan on June 14; city is assigning about 2,000 police officers and over 100 sanitation workers and blocking off traffic on more than 30 blocks; it has repaved one block of 42d Street and filled potholes along parade route; map; photos (M)
New York State Education Comr Richard P Mills says state and city school officials, frustrated with pace of change at Junior High School 57 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and Junior High School 8 in Jamaica, Queens, will clean house at troubled schools, restocking buildings with new students, administrators and teachers; moves at schools represent most radical attempt to shore up failing schools in city since state began keeping ledger of poor schools in 1989; Mills and School Chancellor Rudy Crew say that city and state officials are acting in concert (M)
Bill that would create state-appointed financial review board to oversee operations in troubled city of Camden is introduced in New Jersey Assembly (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)
Clyde Haberman, in NYC column, assails 'sickos' who broke into two mausoleums at Bayside Cemetery in Queens and set fire to Joseph Geismar's coffin (M)
Corning Inc is shedding many core businesses, such as its medical diagnostic companies, pharmaceutical testing company and housewares division, and retaining Corning Communications and Corning Technologies; Corning wants to focus on more profitable high technology businesses like fiber optics; once sale of Corning's housewares division is sold, it will be roughly half the size it was but will have great expectations for growth; photos (L)
Continuing debate over whether a newsman should be allowed to be pitchman has flared up because print advertisement for Visa by BBDO New York features CNN correspondent Jonathan Karl; photo (L)
Dow Jones industrial average gains 135.64 points, or 1.8 percent, to close at record 7,711.47; Dow has gained 1,263 points this year, rising 19.6 percent in less than six months; Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rises 13.91 points, to 883.48, a closing high; Russell 2000 index of small-capitalization stocks also sets record, gaining 1.92 points, to 389.54; New York Stock Exchange composite index gains 7.14 points, to close at record 460.64; Nasdaq composite index closes up 3.47 points at 1,411.32; graph; table (L)
State appeals court upholds New Jersey Turnpike Authority's decision to award $488 million contract to MFS Transtech to implement E-Z Pass electronic toll collection system (New Jersey Daily Briefing)
Congressional Republicans, capitulating under political pressure, pass $8.6 billion disaster relief bill, but not before process reveals sharp divisions within party's leadership and becomes public relations fiasco; Republican leaders concede defeat after weeks of trying to add to bill two extraneous provisions objectionable to Pres Clinton and Congressional Democrats; Clinton signs measure after House and Senate approve version of bill that eliminates one of provisions and waters down other (M)
Alex Kelly, former Darien High School wrestler who spent eight years as fugitive in Europe, is convicted of raping 16-year-old girl he had driven home from party 11 years ago; Kelly's first trial ended in deadlocked jury; he is allowed to remain free with bail of $1 million until sentencing on July 24; photo (M)
REBIRTH OF HIGHBRIDGE -- Archbishop John Cardinal O'Connor led a procession in the Bronx to highlight the rebirth of the Highbridge section, where 29 buildings have been renovated with the help of the New York Archdiocese. B3. LIFTING SECRECY RULE -- Gov. Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey has proposed relaxing the laws that shroud child abuse cases in official secrecy. B6. COMMISSIONER'S CAREER MOVE -- Dr. Mary Hibberd, the Suffolk County Health Commissioner, is making an abrupt career change. B6. DEVELOPING A LANDMARK -- A strong housing market has given rise to a new plan to redevelop a Manhattan landmark. Metro Business, B7. HOT CARS ONCE AGAIN -- A new list of desirable collectible vehicles includes Volkswagen Beetle convertibles and vintage Chevy pickups. Autos on Friday. B17.